Persian Ironwood Vanessa

An outstanding, elegant cultivar of the Persian Ironwood, this award-winning, deciduous small-to-medium tree brings year-round structural beauty and seasonal interest to the garden. Unlike the wild species which has a very broad, multi-stemmed, sprawling habit, 'Vanessa' has been selectively bred for its neat, upright, and columnar growth profile, making it a perfect vertical accent for smaller gardens, formal avenues, or confined courtyard spaces. Beginning in late winter and early spring, before the leaves emerge, the bare branches erupt in a subtle but beautiful display of small, unusual, spidery red flowers with bright crimson stamens. As the tree matures, its bark begins to peel in irregular plates, revealing a stunning, tactile mosaic of light grey, cream, and purplish-brown patches that provide exceptional winter interest. As the weather warms, the elegant, scalloped, oval-shaped leaves emerge with bronzy-purple edges before maturing into a lush, highly reflective, glossy deep green for the summer months. Autumn, however, is the tree’s crowning glory, as the entire canopy ignites into a breathtaking, long-lasting kaleidoscope of brilliant gold, orange, and fiery crimson-purple. Vanessa has been awarded the Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit (AGM), and this exceptionally hardy, low-maintenance tree is also highly resistant to pests and diseases. It is incredibly resilient, tolerating urban pollution, heavy clay, and windy locations too.

Site: Tolerates moderate to high levels of exposure
Soil: Thrives in deep, fertile, moist but well-drained soil. Highly adaptable to both heavy clay and sandy soils, but prefers slightly acidic to neutral ground
Position: Full sun
Season of Interest: Year round interest, but it's Autumn colour is highly notable
Hardiness: Hardy
Height: 33ft (10m) Spread: 9ft (3m)